Thursday's Three Astros Things

Some things to talk about while Seth Myers makes a Singleton joke...

1) A scout's take on the Astros

Bernie Pleskoff, a former Astros scout who writes for MLB.com, posted some thoughts on his recent trip to Florida. In it are included a few notes about the Astros. For instance, this one is a good sign for a certain lion-maned young flamethrower:

Mike Foltynewicz who's name I can't pronounce pitches for the Astros. Let's just call him Mike. Mike threw strikes in the game I saw. Yes, his Minor League history shows a lack of command and control. I saw a huge, 6-foot-4 guy with a gun for an arm. I think he can probably hit 100 with ease. He's on my futures list. I think he'll be a star if he continues to progress.

Oh, and he had one more note on the Astros:

The trio of Carlos Correa, George Springer and Jon Singleton showed why they are good prospects. BUT-and here's the but. Each is still raw. Each has a part of his game that needs refinement before being exposed day in and day out to Major League pitching. But I'm way out on a limb with Correa. He'll be outstanding. And he's a huge 6-foot-4 at age 19.

I'll take it. Especially on the heels of that double video from this morning. Correa may need his own website (IsCarlosCorreaCalledUpYet.com) by midseason.

2) MLB's newest rankings

Yes, MLB.com released its newest prospect rankings. You can find them here. But, if you want the good stuff, check out the latest mailbag at MLB Pipeline. In it, Jim Callis answers a couple reader questions with answers involving the Astros. His first one was which minor league teams could be the most loaded this year. He includes these two:

1. Class A Advanced Lancaster (Astros): SS Carlos Correa, RHP Mark Appel, RHP Lance McCullers Jr., RHP Vince Velasquez, 3B Rio Ruiz, LHP Josh Hader. The No. 1 overall picks from the last two Drafts headline this contingent.

5. Triple-A Oklahoma City (Astros): OF George Springer, RHP Mike Foltynewicz, 1B Jonathan Singleton, OF Domingo Santana, C Max Stassi. Baseball's best farm system has enough talent to stock two loaded teams.

If that doesn't make you happy enough today, check out what he has to say about next year's Top 5 prospects in baseball:

My crystal ball reveals this projected top five for next winter: Buxton, Baez, Correa (No. 8), Cubs third baseman Bryant (No. 9) and Twins third baseman Miguel Sano (No. 4). Sano likely will drop a little after missing all or most of the season because of Tommy John surgery, but his long-term upside doesn't change. Athletics shortstop Addison Russell (No. 12) and North Carolina State left-hander Carlos Rodon (the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft) are two more top-five candidates.

Graduate Springer and Singleton? Check. Possibly graduate Appel? Check. STILL have two of the five best prospects in baseball? Check, check, check.

3) Collin McHugh belongs

Just a beautiful post by the Astros best pitcher/blogger Collin McHugh. It's about him getting to Kissimmee and it paints such a great picture of life in spring training and life with a new organization (or three). Read the whole thing, especially for the ending. But, I'll leave you with this:

That pang inside all of us that dreads new experiences is fear. Fear that we won't be accepted for who we are. Fear that we won't live up to expectations. Fear of being ostracized. Fear of failure. Fear that we don't and will never belong. I know that FDR said that the only thing to fear is fear itself, but as we all know, fear can be pretty damn scary. Yet, with a turn of phrase, once person erased all of those fears. Sure, there will always be doubt and second guessing in this game, but the basis for all those fears was erased in that moment. I was told that I belong. That I was in the right place at the right time for a specific purpose. I'm not sure there are more life-giving words that can be spoken, both on the field, off the field and in all of our relationships.

I'm now hoping McHugh sticks with the big league team. This is what happens when you use the internet for good instead of using it to mock and put down bloggers.